When a top Chinese swimmer apparently kills himself on the eve of an international event and then an Olympic weightlifter dies in the arms of his Beijing mistress, causing a scandal to be hushed up at the highest level, Chinese detective Li Yan and American pathologist Margaret Campbell find themselves back in Beijing investigating what is becoming a sinister sequence of murders which has taken the lives of some of China’s best athletes and which threatens to destroy the future of international athletics.

Li’s only hope for a breakthrough in the case is a champion runner, the sole member of the Chinese athletics team who seems willing to talk, but she will talk only to Margaret Campbell and now the runner has disappeared. In charge of what could be his last investigation for the Beijing police, Li finds himself hampered by uncooperative officials, dogged by a vindictive rival for his job and battling against shadowy figures who seem hell-bent on victory and enemies who take any chance to destroy his career. It seems that finding the missing runner is the only way to save his job, his relationship with Margaret and the lives of more young athletes.

The Runner is not only an exciting and suspenseful thriller but also provides a fascinating insight into Chinese life.